


pretty dramatic

by crystallizedkingdoms



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop & Tattoo Parlor, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, Gift Fic, Language of Flowers, M/M, Meet-Cute, Not Beta Read, like. an EXCESSIVE amount of flower language. every flower mentioned has some meaning to the scene., love speedrun any percent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:13:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28226691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crystallizedkingdoms/pseuds/crystallizedkingdoms
Summary: The stranger tattoo artist is a newcomer to Neverwinter, and the florist across the street is determined to get to know him more, and help him adjust to the new city. Too bad they’re kind of awkward, snarky, andverydramatic.
Relationships: Avi/Johann the Bard (The Adventure Zone)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	pretty dramatic

**Author's Note:**

> yes the gift exchange was like four days ago or smth and im only posting it on ao3 now. i am lazy deal with it.   
> this was my gift for bluebird, who has an awesome Instagram @bluebirdscribbles where she posts awesome art. go check her out! or else. /j
> 
> also heads up I used mostly Victorian flower language cuz that’s like pretty gay.

“Do you have an appointment?”

Avi jumps upon hearing the unfamiliar voice beside him, which pulls him from his spaced-out stupor. It’s not a subtle jump either, it’s almost comical how his feet jolt off the ground. “Geez, uh— hi!” he blurts out, his grip on the bouquet in his arms now tight to keep them from falling as he steadies his footing. 

“Woah, no need to be dramatic. I just asked a question,” the man by the front desk says. His voice is monotonous, almost unremarkable, but it catches Avi’s full attention anyway. 

Avi straightens his back out a little too professionally for someone idling and staring at the wall of the empty waiting room belonging to a tattoo parlour. There’s an awkward smile on his lips as he faces the stranger before him. “I, uh, didn’t expect anyone to be here!” 

“I could say the same. You don’t exactly look like you… come here often,” the stranger remarks, and he is nothing short of blunt. He’s a half elf man, wearing a basic black t-shirt and cuffed jeans that Avi usually saw tattoo artists wearing. He leans against the front desk with his arms propped under his chin, the vibrant colours covering his forearms. They decorate his skin like a painting, though Avi can’t make out anything on it from where he was. 

Not like he was staring or anything. It’s weird to stare at a stranger's tattoos, even if they are standing at the entrance of a tattoo parlour. 

Weird or not, Avi didn’t miss the man eyeing him up and down in return with a deadpan expression, already so quick to judge. _What’s this dude’s problem? I haven’t even seen him here before!_ he thinks, as if he wasn’t just doing that a second before.

Avi cocks an eyebrow and shifts the bouquet in his arm. “Are you sure you should be saying that? I could be a customer, for all you know!” he scoffs, but it’s not like the half elf is _wrong._ Avi’s dirty work apron he didn’t bother to take off sticks out like a sore thumb in the overall tacky tattoo parlour, with not a drop of ink on his skin to show off. “Besides, you’re obviously new. I’ve been here a couple years now, and I’ve never seen you around before.”

The half elf rolls his eyes as obviously as he could and twirls a loose curl with a finger. He sighs, “Good observation. Would you like an award, or are you gonna tell me what you’re doing here with… all that?” He motions to the heavy bouquet in Avi’s arm with no change in his expression. “Have you got the wrong place? I don’t think anyone ordered, uh… I don’t know the breeds of flowers, I’ll be honest with you. I couldn’t pay for it anyway.”

“They’re alstroemerias. My boss, Merle— I work at the flower shop just across the street from here if you couldn’t tell— well, I’m sure you can tell. Anyways, he always sends me here once a month or so to give to Ms. Paloma. You know, your boss?” 

“Of course I know my boss.”

_Obviously he does. Why would I ask that? What the hell is wrong with me?_ “Right! Right.” Avi shifts his weight between his feet as he glances around the parlour, trying to find anything to stare at other than this half elf. “So, yeah. It’s just a gift. No need to pay for anything.”

While he’s unsure what exactly he expected, Avi is surprised when the half elf just shrugs. “Okay, cool. Are you gonna just leave the flowers here or wait until she gets back?” 

_Does he just not want me here?_ Insistent on staying just a bit longer, Avi stood his ground. “I just realized I never caught your name. I’ll start us off. Uh, my name is Avi, nice to meet you. I’d give you a handshake, but my hands are a bit full at the moment.”

The half elf gives Avi another scan before standing upright. He moves away from the front desk and walks closer to Avi, his impassive face unchanging. He introduces himself, “Name’s Johann. You can leave the flowers at the front desk, and I’ll give it to Paloma when I see her. If this is all you came here for, then you can be on your way then, Avi. I’m busy.”

“Busy? Busy with _what?_ No one— no one is even in here!” Avi stumbles over his words, baffled by how rude the new guy is. “I’m on my break, actually. And I know you are, too. So maybe I want to take my sweet time here, ever thought of that?”

“Whatever. Not bothering me.”

A bitter retort bubbles inside of Avi in that moment, but he keeps his mouth shut. _No need to argue with that some dude. He probably just had a bad day or something,_ he rationalizes to himself. Instead, he sits down on one of the nearby couches and sets the bouquet aside. 

There’s a few seconds of unnerving silence where neither of them speak, but eventually Johann sighs and sits beside Avi. The sunlight from the shop window next to them casts a dazzling light on Johann, making the ink on his skin pop out even more than they did before. “Fine, you got me. This place is a desert. The other employees ran off for lunch. They offered for me to come, but I didn’t. Someone had to watch this place while they were gone. Doesn’t make it any less boring,” Johann confesses.

Avi is tense when Johann sits next to him, his hand resting on the bouquet. “Paloma… went with them, I guess?”

“Yeah. Does she usually go out for lunch with employees?”

“I mean… I guess? I’m not the one who works here. I’m just the flower boy.”

That gets a chuckle out of Johann. It’s a small noise, and Avi doesn’t even recognize it as a chuckle with how Johann’s face refused to change from its near-annoyed expression. “Heh, flower boy. Why does your boss send flowers to mine? They got a thing or something?” he asks.

Avi doesn’t respond immediately. The words are caught in his throat as his eyes wander down to Johann’s right arm, where a particular batch of blue colours catch his eye. However, he feels the beat of silence and snaps out of it quickly enough to answer, “Who, Merle? Nah, just a friendly gesture. She bakes on her free time and sends a few batches of sweets to him on occasion. These bouquets are just a thank-you gift for that.”

“That explains her welcome gift when I first started working here. I’m still not even finished with the stuff she gave me.”

“Oh? Wait, when did you start working here?”

Johann crosses his legs and shrugs at that question. “Just a week ago. Took me a while to find a job here in Neverwinter. I just moved from Phandalin, like, a month ago? I worked as a tattoo artist there, so I know what I’m doing, but there are a lot less parlours in this city than I expected, and this one isn’t as busy as the ones I’ve been to in Phandalin,” he explains. 

His answer makes Avi loosen up a little bit. _So he really is new around here. I guess that explains why I haven’t seen him around before._ “Well, uh, hope moving in has been alright. If you ever need any help with things, I’m just across the street. We’ll, uh, be seeing each other quite a lot if you hadn’t picked that up already,” Avi beams.

If there was one thing Avi didn’t expect as a response, an eye roll is that one thing. However, Johann’s eye roll didn’t feel particularly hostile, even if Avi feels like it should’ve. It just feels neutral. “I’ve picked it up, alright. Guess it can’t be too bad. You seem like a chill guy, uh… Avi, right?”

“You forgot my name already?”

“No, no! It’s Avi, I’m pretty sure. You’re fucking with me. I’m, like, ninety-nine percent sure I’m right on that. Don’t ask about the one percent,” Johann stumbles over his words, and for a moment, his fussy demeanour falls into a flustered mess. “Whatever! Shouldn’t you be going out for lunch? I don’t wanna hog your break, nor do I want your boss up my ass. I’ll give your flowers to Paloma when she comes back.”

The bouquet is ripped from the couch they sit on by Johann. He holds it in his arms clumsily, and the mere sight of the alstroemerias being handled in such a way makes Avi cringe. “Here, let me help,” Avi mutters and shifts the bouquet in Johann’s arms. His hands grabbed onto Johann’s firmly to guide them into a better position to hold the flowers. “It’s just a bunch of plants, you don’t need to put it in a chokehold.”

Johann scoffs, and there’s a stutter in his voice when he says, “I’m— I’m not putting it in a chokehold!” 

“Not anymore, at least,” Avi gives him a look-over and pats Johann’s hand, “There. Now they won’t be all messed up. Do you know when Paloma will come back?” He stands up as he asks this question and adjusts the apron around his body.

Shrugging his shoulders, Johann composed himself from his flustered state. “Eh, I don’t know. Half an hour, maybe? I’m still getting used to this schedule,” he guesses. Flowers in hand, Johann stands up and walks back to the front desk and sits on it. “See ya some time, I guess?”

Avi pushes the door to the tattoo parlour open, and the bell above him makes an annoying jingle that he always hated. “Yeah, see you soon!” he grins and gives a little wave just as he jogs out of Johann’s line of sight. Avi’s already halfway down the street when Johann looks down at the bouquet of alstroemerias in his arms and lets his thoughts wander.

—

“Oh, it’s you!”

Though the greeting is far from loud, Johann flinches and nearly drops the sketchbook in his hand. The flowers he was staring at wobble from where they were on the shelf, but they don’t fall. “Hah, who’s the dramatic one now?” Avi teases from behind Johann. He doesn’t even think to look at Johann when he reaches over the other to push the flowers a little further back on the shelf to keep them safe. 

“Don’t sneak up on people like that. It’s rude,” Johann huffs and crosses his arms around his sketchbook. He backs away from under Avi’s arm— _Geez, he’s not even that much shorter than me_ , Avi realizes— and glances towards the ground. “How are you, man? It’s been a couple of weeks since we first saw each other.”

Awkwardly pulling his arms back into his pockets, Avi gives a tight smile and straightens himself. “I’ve been, uh, fine! What exactly are you… doing here, if you don’t mind me asking? I’m kind of on the clock at the moment, you came in well before my break,” he points out as delicately as he could. _I don’t want him to get the idea I don’t want him here. He has to be here for a reason._

There is a genuine look of shock on Johann’s face when he hears that. “Oh— oh shit, I didn’t realize. I mean, I knew you worked today obviously, but I thought it would be your break by now. Do you, uh, want me to go and come back when you’re off? I could go for an early lunch, it’s no big deal, I’m fine with that,” Johann rambles and rubs his bare arms that were shivering.

_I think that’s the most emotion I’ve seen out of this guy yet._ Avi doesn’t say it out loud. He’s not that stupid.

“Dude, why didn’t you bring a jacket? I know Neverwinter isn’t as south as Phandalin, but even a city dubbed ‘never winter’ can be a bit cooler than usual around these times,” Avi asks. He hears the front door’s bell ring with another person coming in, but he decides to ignore it. “Look, it’s fine. You can look around and stay. But what are you even _here_ for? For someone who doesn’t know the ‘breeds of flowers,’ I wouldn’t expect to see you here while I’m working.” 

If Avi didn’t know Johann worked just across the street from him, he would’ve thought the poor guy was lost. Johann looks around the interior of the flower shop with quick glances, and the shiver in his movement only adds to the lost effect. 

“I came here for, uh… practice. Since I don’t work today. I was wondering if I could just stay here and sketch a few plants out. The decision was out of the blue, I didn’t really think to take a jacket or even check the time,” Johann explains. During some part in that sentence, he must’ve realized something about how he acted, because his face goes back to its usual inexpressiveness seamlessly.

_Practice, huh? I guess tattoo artists just aren’t instantly good at drawing._ Avi shrugs and nudges Johann out of the flower-filled area of the shop and towards the back. “I’m not entirely sure if I _should_ be doing this, but I don’t see any harm. Do you have any specific plants you want to draw? We’re getting a lot of Candlenights stuff prepped up, and yes I know it’s only September, but we still have the usuals,” he talks as brings over a stool from the front desk to where Johann stood.

Throughout Avi’s rambling, Johann keeps his eyes on the floor. _What’s with him? Where is the borderline smug attitude now?_ Avi wonders. While he thinks, his eyes wander back to Johann’s bare arms. And while nothing has changed, Avi swears he can see those vibrant colours a little more clearly. He makes out the pattern of a forget-me-not and a blue hyacinth flower twined together by the stem on Johann’s upper arm, highlighting the small outline of his bicep. The ink is much more faded compared to others, but it stands out the most of Avi.

“We have those, by the way. The forget-me-nots and hyacinths, if that’s what you want,” Avi blurts out without thinking.

His question makes Johann look up at him. Confusion clouds his eyes as he tries to process what Avi said. “Huh? I— oh. No, not those. I need daffodils and roses, please. Just one of each is fine,” he mutters and sits down on the stool. His nose crinkles and his tipped ears twitch, but if he’s uncomfortable with the seat, he doesn’t voice it. 

Waves of embarrassment crash over Avi, though he shakes it off to dash for the nearby display cooler. He’s used to the cold it provides when he opens it, but it feels a little extra cold on his flushed skin when he reaches for the specific flowers. “Ah, may I ask why these flowers in particular? And why come here, you have the Internet, right?” Avi questions with the two flowers in his hands. He reaches for a spare small vase to place the daffodil and yellow rose in. 

Johann is slouching over his open sketchbook when Avi comes back over to pull another stool to prop the flowers on. “I’m just not good at drawing daffodils, and there’s no such thing as too much practice when it comes to shading roses. And live references just work better for me. If this bothers you or whatever, I can just pay for these flowers full price,” he grumbles and pulls a pencil from his pants pocket.

“Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t bother me! You don’t need to pay for anything either, since you don’t look like you’re planning to take it home.” 

“Cool. You can get back to work now.”

_…Is that really how he ends his conversations?_

Avi scans the small flower shop he works in. His co-worker, Hurley, walks outside to tend to the outside flowers, so besides him and Johann, the place is otherwise empty. He has orders to keep track of and flowers to check, yes, but surely those could wait? Some small talk wouldn’t hurt anyone. At least, that’s what Avi tells himself as he leans against the wall next to Johann’s stool as he draws the flowers in front of him.

“So, it’s been a while. How’s the move been? Paloma and the others treating you well?” 

The exhale that leaves Johann’s nose is less annoyed than Avi expected it to be, but that feeling that he was bothering the guy overcame him regardless. Johann continues to draw in his sketchbook, “It’s going better than expected, not gonna lie. Paloma is sweet, and Killian is chill, even if she is constantly hanging around that coffee shop to hang out with that barista girl. Still not used to Neverwinter’s weather though. Otherwise it’s been fine.”

“Good! Good. That’s good. I’m, uh, glad you’ve been adjusting well,” Avi flashes a nervous smile. He keeps his eyes on Johann instead of looking in the sketchbook, because even Avi knows it is sort of a dick move to stare at someone’s drawing. “Have you been around the city much lately? You know, sightseeing or whatever? The gardens downtown look pretty nice around this time.”

All Johann gives is a simple shrug at first. When he finishes off a certain petal of the daffodil, he sighs and scrapes the ground with the tops of his Doc Martens. “Nope, haven’t done much exploring outside of my apartment and this street. Haven’t had the time or interest. I’ll get to it eventually,” he admits, his eyes moving only towards his sketchbook and the flowers. He never once looks at Avi.

“What?? You haven’t even explored the place yet? C’mon, you _have_ to at least check out the Sea of Gardens around this time, or even just some cool tourist-y areas.”

“I don’t have to do any of that. I just have to work.”

“Well, you didn’t have to come to this flower shop to draw some flowers, but you didn’t stop yourself from doing that.”

There isn’t a smart retort for that. Johann just huffs through his nose and slouches a bit more than what would look comfortable. Avi sees Hurley speaking to someone outside, though she is working while she does. “I’m gonna water a few plants. Just keep drawing or whatever. I’ll be right back… not like you’ll miss me,” he mumbles the last part, but he wonders if Johann hears it.

The shop is quiet for the most part. It’s just the sound of a pencil gliding against paper, water trickling into soil, and the muddled noise of the city outside that fills the humble flower shop. Avi finds watering the plants on display, both inside and out, to be the best part of his job. It doesn’t need any talking, no stress of getting a forgetful person to remember which flowers their partner likes, or Merle’s over enthusiastic chatter of work. 

But Avi can’t shake that unmistakable feeling of eyes on him. It’s a fleeting feeling he gets while he lets the water nourish a poinsettia, but it always comes back to him. He glances to Hurley, who seems to be more engrossed with her conversation with the person she was with— a long-haired half elf woman, not like it mattered— to be looking at him. _Not her, obviously. Has she even noticed Johann? I feel like she should be yelling at me by now if she did._

Right, Johann. Avi looks towards his direction out of the corner of his eye in the middle of tending to a ranunculus, and sure enough, Johann stares at him through the parting of his dark curls. Avi can’t tell if Johann saw that he had caught the half elf staring, but if he does, then he’s incredibly bold for continuing to stare at him. Avi decides not to call it out. _Maybe he’s just spaced out._

They stay like that for a long while. Half an hour or longer, they can’t recall. To the point where Avi can’t even see Hurley outside anymore, though he can’t recall her coming back inside. Johann sneaks a few eyefuls of Avi whilst drawing, and the latter does the same amidst his work. It’s peaceful, somehow, even if there is a tension between the two Avi can’t describe. It’s not hostile, he knows that. 

Avi feels a lock of hair fall from his loose bun right in front of his eyes. He shifts the watering can to his other hand, so he can tuck the hair behind his ear. “How’s the drawing going, Johann?” There is a sharp inhale and a scramble of paper, but he stops himself from looking up. 

“Oh go— It’s going alright! How are, um… the plants…?” Johann spits out the question like he’s unsure if that’s something you even ask a florist. “These look really nice, by the way. They’re really nice to look at. And draw. Of course. That’s what I’m doing. I’m drawing. For tattoo art,” he asserts his actions with a monotonous voice, but there’s an inflection of bashfulness in how he phrases his words.

Avi props the watering can by the wall and walks back to Johann, who has his nose buried into his sketchbook with the more worrying slouch. “They’re doing just fine. My break should be starting right around now, and I think my co-worker ran off so, like, I take that as my cue,” he laughs, but tilts his head to get a better look at Johann’s obscured face, “Can I see what you have? Maybe I’ll let you tattoo that on me if y—”

“ _No!!_ ”

It’s a loud sound that comes out of Johann’s mouth, and even he looks surprised by it. _I didn’t even know he could express himself beyond sarcasm._

“Ooookay. No it is. That’s fine. Drawing’s like that… I guess? I don’t really draw beyond basic planning things for floral designs, even that is more of Merle’s thing.”

If Johann could be perceived as any more uncomfortable than he already seemed, he probably would, but he seems to be at max capacity. His ears are low and pinned against his head, and he looks like he’s ready to bolt out of the building. No words leave his mouth, either.

But Avi can’t handle the silence. His brain makes him think of something, anything really, to talk about. So it’s only natural it brings up the only tattoo Avi could recognize off of Johann’s skin. “Did you know that flowers have meanings? It’s really interesting. Forget-me-nots tend to represent true love and memories. Hyacinths vary by colour, but blue ones tend to mean sincerity. Did you… know that, when you chose those flowers? Like, for your tattoos?”

Eventually, Johann pulls his head out of his sketchbook long enough to give Avi the most blatant ‘what the fuck are you talking about’ face. “...No. I didn’t. They just looked cool.”

“Oh.”

“Who do I look like, dude? I’m not the florist between the two of us. I don’t go around spending my days… researching flower meanings or whatever.”

“Okay, okay, I get it! No dramatic meaning. Just picked pretty flowers, like every other person or whatever.” Avi waves his hand in the air dismissively and slumps against the wall next to Johann. More loose hair covers his eyes, but all he can do is give him a half-assed huff of air to shift them away even the tiniest bit.

Johann shakes his head in what might’ve been disappointment, but his shoulders tremble in a silent laugh. At least Avi _thinks_ it’s from a silent laugh. There’s still a shiver in Johann’s skin as he resumes his sketching, but it’d be weird if Avi pointed it out again, he convinces himself.

“You know, I think I’m gonna go for lunch? Do you want to, uh, come with me? I mean, you don’t really have a choice in staying either way, I’m gonna need you to get out. I can’t exactly leave you here alone for obvious reasons.”

_Now_ there’s disappointment in Johann’s head shake. “Right, I forgot about that. I’m not really hungry, I’ll be honest, so I think I’ll just go,” he says and stands up from the stool. He stretches his body from its awful slouch and Avi swears he can hear a few joints pop when he does that. “Thanks for letting me do this. Would it be okay if I came here if I ever needed to do this again? I don’t mind paying if that’s an issue.”

“I don’t— no, it shouldn’t be an issue, really? It’s not like you’re even leaving the store with any flowers. We don’t lose anything.” Avi’s hands are gentle when they take the yellow rose and daffodil out of the vase. “So, like, it should be fine for you to swing by occasionally. Maybe we could get you a better chair though, you did _not_ look comfortable,” he points out.

The deadpan face is back on Johann, but Avi doesn’t mind. Johann doesn’t waste his time to rush to the exit, his sketchbook clutched tight in his arms. He grips the door handle with a free hand and pulls enough for the door to open. The noise of Neverwinter outside sounds much louder inside the flower shop. “Cool. I’ll be going now, flower boy.” 

_Flower boy?_ The nickname brings a heat to Avi’s face and he wonders if it’s visible in the bright lights of the building. _I say_ one _joke during our first meeting and of course he goes ahead and makes it embarrassing—_

Those thoughts are interrupted by another thought. It’s a thought— well, more like an idea that he could not allow to slip away. “Hold up, Johann!” Avi calls out before Johann can even take a step out of the building. He makes it over to his side in quick bounds, which isn’t much, since the shop is pretty small.

“Yes?” Johann turns to look over his shoulder. The sun from the outside hits his deep brown skin in such a way that it makes the ink pop out an extra amount. It catches Avi off guard. Words dissipated on his tongue in the few seconds of stunned silence that he stared at Johann in full.

But Avi is aware of the staring immediately and gives his head a stern shake to fix himself. “Uh, I was just gonna offer that… uh, I could take you out to some places around Neverwinter. Just for fun, you know? Help you get around the area… and stuff…” 

“...That sounds good to me, sure. Some time. When we both have the time.”

Avi wasn’t expecting to get rejected, per se, but Johann actually accepting his offer is also a surprise at the same time. “You— really?? Gods, that’s great! It’s, like, a good way to get to know you better. That’s really good… yeah!!”

“Mhm. Now, I’ll see you another tomorrow, okay?”

“Alright, dude! Awesome! I’ll be looking forward to it.”

There isn’t a friendly grin when Johann says goodbye. Hell, he just turns around and walks down the street without another word, though it was still fairly obvious he’s cold as Avi lingers at the window to watch him leave. _Well, that was a lot._

—

They don’t follow through with that right away. Hell, they actually forget about the offer after a week or two. That doesn’t mean they don’t continue to talk however. Far from it actually.

Only a street apart. Johann comes over to the flower shop for practice, though Avi notices at some point that he’s just choosing random flowers. A thinly veiled attempt to have a reason to enter the shop, so thin even Avi could see right through it. He doesn’t let Johann know he knows that though. 

Avi visits the tattoo parlour occasionally, bouquet always in hand, always for Paloma. They gain a running joke, where Johann asks if the flowers are for him when Avi enters the door. Johann doesn’t let Avi know that sometimes, it’s a genuine question. 

That’s another thing, isn’t it? Their friendship grows beyond a professional level, to where Johann swings by Avi’s apartment every other weekend. Eventually they spend their lunches at the local café, laughing as Killian shyly orders from the dragonborn barista, or watching Hurley attempt to flirt with that half-elf baker. They certainly grow closer, that’s not a surprise. 

At some point, there’s a moment where a realization hits the two of them, a desire for a little more. For Avi, it is a click that happened out of the blue. A graze of the hands as Avi gives Johann a bouquet for Paloma, as per their routine. For Johann, it’s less overt, and more of a progression. A small acceptance he came to terms with peacefully as he looked over the various drawings of Avi he had accumulated over his visits for practice. 

The months after that are also strange. Terrible attempts at flirting, co-workers rolling their eyes when one of them says something so obviously romantic that the other doesn’t catch. Avi swears they even went on a date once, where Johann even held his hand and leaned against his shoulder as they left the café they frequented. They never brought it up again though, so Avi fears it didn’t count.

And yet, they still haven’t upheld that offer of exploring Neverwinter together beyond the street they worked at and the café, and let Johann learn more about the new place he now lives in. It doesn’t bother Johann, he tells himself he will get to it eventually. He has the rest of his life to explore Neverwinter, he has no reason to rush.

However, Avi isn’t like Johann. And he’s _very_ dramatic about it.

—

Johann laughs when he sees Avi at his apartment door one Candlenights evening. Avi is holding a hefty bouquet of flowers in his arms, and his face is flushed a bright pink colour. It’s a different type of bouquet than Avi usually carried— it’s more pink and red in colour, as opposed to the bright yellows and blues Merle sent over. It also wasn’t a work day for either of them due to the holiday.

“Hey, man. What’s all this? Are these for me?” Johann teases, as part of their joke. “Seriously, man. You could’ve given this to Paloma yourself, you know? I’m not her little messenger. I don’t have, like, magic tattoo powers to send this over to her.”

Avi’s face reddens in colour as he gets scolded. He ducks his head to the side in this bashful state, showing off the yellow acacia flower tucked into the bun he wore. “Come on, Johann, do you really think I’d come all the way here to make you give this to Paloma? On a day of Candlenights of all days? Don't think of me so lowly,” he shakes his head. Avi takes a step towards Johann and stretches the bouquet closer to him. “This is for you.”

It isn’t supposed to be a _surprising_ gift. A nice gesture, sure, but he doesn’t expect Johann to freeze up when the bouquet is pushed in his direction. His hand reaches out to grab it, but he hesitates. “Uh— me? Like, _me_ me? For me. These are for me. For… Candlenights, I’m guessing? These don’t look like Candlenights flowers, but also I’m not the florist here,” he drones on.

“Yes, Johann, these are for you. Not necessarily Candlenights, I just wanted you to have them. I thought they were… nice. And that you’d like them.”

“I do. I do like them, don’t get me wrong,” Johann stumbles over his words. He takes the bouquet out of Avi’s arms, but his position of the flowers is as clumsy as always. “I just didn’t expect them? I really didn’t. But I appreciate them. Thank you, Avi.” Attempts to steady his hold on the flowers are futile, but Johann doesn’t ask for help.

Avi recognizes his struggle and giggles under his breath. He grabs Johann’s hands as per usual and guides them to a much better position. He teases with a shy smile, “Oh, Johann, it’s been months of me delivering bouquets and you still need help with holding them? It’s almost like you want me to hold your hand on purpose.”

Johann gives him an eye roll as a response, then steps back to let Avi inside. “You talk too much bullshit. Since you’re in such a talkative mood today, mind telling me the meanings of these flowers?”

“Um… Haha, what?” Avi grows still when he’s asked that question. “I— can’t a guy just get their bro a bouquet of flowers? It doesn’t— it doesn’t have to, hah, _mean_ anything,” he laughs in the middle of his sentence, a low and flustered noise, “does it? Yeah, no, it doesn’t mean anything. Just some nice flowers I thought you’d like!”

“Cut the shit, flower boy. I know you’re not going to give me something that _doesn’t_ have meaning. You couldn’t even if you tried,” Johann walks towards his kitchen and inspects the flowers closer. “I see red chrysanthemums— can’t forget what _that_ means, you never shut up about it.”

“Oh— are they in there? Hah, I didn’t realize! Just have been a mista—”

When Avi lunges to take the bouquet back, Johann dodges and bolts for the kitchen counter. “Aw, you even got forget-me-nots in there. What do those mean again? ‘True love and memories’? How touching,” he goes over the meaning of the flower with that signature bored face. Avi can’t even tell if Johann actually likes the gesture or not.

“Okay, okay, I get it. It’s embarrassing. Sorry if that’s weird.”

“Why do you put words in my mouth? I never said it was weird. It’s a nice gesture. They’re also pretty.” Johann sets the bouquet down on the counter and turns back around to Avi. “I don’t have a vase to put these in, by the way. Mind if I get a discount at your store to buy one?”

While still all red and nervous, Avi appreciates the change of subject. “Fuck no, dude. I’ve got one at home, alright? Merle let me take these for free, if I ask to give you a _discount_ on a vase, he’d fucking kill me.”

“Gods, _Merle_ knows? Did you beg him to give you some free flowers for me?”

“It wasn’t like I asked him! Or even told him what I was planning. It just slipped out that I was looking for something for you to ask you out. I insisted that I paid, but he said no this time. Just this time though, any other time I have to pay full price.”

“So you _are_ asking me out. You’re asking me out on Candlenights.” It’s more of a statement than anything else. When Avi doesn’t respond and just stares at the kitchen floor, Johann clicks his tongue and crosses his arms. “I can’t give you an answer if you don’t formally ask the question. So just ask me, bro. I’m not gonna bite you, if that’s what you think. You know I’m blunt with my answers, it can’t be that scary,” urges Johann.

_Why does he have to be so persistent? Somehow I feel like this would go easier if he just ignored it. Maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe it’s too early to even attempt to date him? Fuck, this is the worst time to doubt myself._

Thinking through his feelings has never been Avi’s forté, and he isn’t going to start doing it now. He thinks of his plan he thought of earlier, before he came to Johann’s place, and decides to go along with it. 

“Hey! Remember when I offered to show you around Neverwinter? Specifically that the Sea of Gardens looks really good around Candlenights? Why don’t we do that now? That sounds like a good idea!!” Avi blurts the idea out, and it’s a little dramatic, but he takes Johann’s hands into his for some added emphasis.

Johann raises a brow in question, but he grips Avi’s hand tighter in a sense of reassurance. “Avi, be honest with me right now. I need your honesty. Is this your way of asking me out?”

“Could be, could also not be. Just answer the question, will you?”

A sparkle of amusement flickers in Johann’s eyes. Avi can’t help but think that sparkle suits him just perfectly. “…Okay, sure. You can take me out to see the Sea of Gardens,” Johann says, and that amusement makes its way to his voice as well. “But _only_ if you call it a date. Just be upfront about it, man. Do I look like I’m rejecting you right now?”

Avi scratches the back of his neck, making the acacia flower on his bun bounce behind him. He stutters out, “Would you— would you kill me if I said yes?” It’s not a serious question, of course, but Avi asks it in embarrassment. ‘ _Should I have been more upfront about it? Is this annoying him? Were the flowers too much?’_ are only a few other anxious thoughts running through his head.

A sharp jab between his ribs knocked the wind out of Avi. “Not kill you, but you deserve that. I’m not that mean!” Johann insists. Then he pushes himself away from the counter and runs towards his room. 

“Dude, what the hell! Where are you going??” Avi calls out, one hand holding onto the bouquet and the other gripping onto the side that Johann hit. _That hit was a bit dramatic, I think. Though it was a stupid thing to say, can’t fault him for that._

“I’m getting a sweatshirt! And my sketchbook!” 

“Why your sketchbook??”

Shuffling noises came from Johann’s room and Avi thinks he can hear rustling of paper and pencils. “Well, I’m seeing new things, aren’t I? Maybe I’ll see some good things to draw along the way. I need new inspiration for designs, because the moment the shop’s open again I know I’m going to get a whole new wave of people wanting cool new tattoos for the new year.

“But enough talk about work. How do I look?” Johann steps out of his room, sketchbook in hand, wearing an oversized, black turtleneck sweater that covers a majority of his tattoos, but it looks nice on him. Avi, however, notices something wrong with it almost immediately.

“It… looks great, Johann! You look, uh, really nice with it. It’s just, um, it’s gotten a _lot_ colder than before. Don't you think you should add an extra layer? Maybe a thick jacket?” Avi suggests.

Confusion settled on Johann’s face. “I… don’t have a thick jacket. This is the warmest thing I’ve got. And it can’t be _that_ bad, Avi. The city is still called Neverwinter, isn’t it?” He gives Avi a dismissive wave and walks towards his door, where he starts putting on his Doc Martens. 

“Look, Johann, I’m being serious. There’s, like, slush and ice on the ground since it snowed the last couple of days. I'm even wearing a pretty thick jacket right now. We can just chill here inste—”

“Nope. The date is official now. I will be fine. If we don’t go out it’s no longer a date.”

_You’re just so stubborn, huh? Any other day it would be cute._ Against his better judgement, Avi crosses his arms and heads towards the door to catch up with Johann. “Okay, fine, fine. But if you end up freezing, I’m not giving you my coat. You’re the one who’s signing up for a potential cold, not me!” 

Johann finishes up typing his Docs and gestures for Avi to leave the apartment, which he does. “You worry too much. I’ve got faith in myself,” he locks the door behind him and starts heading for the elevator. Avi almost can’t catch up with how fast Johann manages to speed walk into those large boots, but he gets there anyway.

They stay close to each other as Avi leads Johann to the Sea of Gardens. It really isn’t that far away, but Johann had never gone there anyways. The cold bites at Avi’s nose and cheeks, which would’ve been annoying at any other point in time, but it hides his shy blush by giving him a rosy tint from the cold. 

“So. How long?” Johann hums. His hands are wrapped around his sketchbook tightly, but also around his arms. 

“How long what?”

“How long have you wanted to ask me out?”

_Geez, more embarrassing questions. It’s like Johann wants me to combust in embarrassment._ Avi tucks some loose hair behind his ear and rubs his cheek. “Uh… a while now. A few weeks, I think? I don’t know, it kind of just hit me out of the blue, if you couldn’t tell,” he explains.

Johann’s shoulder bumps into Avi’s, but he doesn’t apologize or even move to give them space. “I honestly couldn’t. I mean, Killian told me that you were into me, but I didn’t really believe her.” There’s a noticeable shiver in Johann’s pointed ears when a particularly strong breeze hits the two of them. Whether it be because of his stubbornness or something else, Johann voiced no complaint.

“Killian, huh? That’s a surprise.” Avi notices how Johann shivers, but he doesn’t bring attention to it. Instead, he wraps an arm around Johann’s shoulders and brings him closer. “Since we’re on the subject of how long we’ve had things for each other, how long have you been drawing me for?” 

“I—” It’s Johann’s turn to be shy now. His grip on the sketchbook grows tighter and he hides his face in the large collar of the turtleneck. “Uh… how did you figure that out? I don’t recall… telling you… don’t tell me you went snooping?? That’s really rude, if you did,” he sighs, and Avi can’t see his face to see if it’s a neutral sigh or a genuinely annoyed sigh.

In an attempt to make him feel better, Avi rubbed Johann’s arm with a certain gentle attribute to it that he usually only reserved for the most delicate flowers at the shop. “It wasn’t on purpose, if that helps? It was that time we went to the café together and, like, lowkey kind of flirted I think. Anyways, you were showing me your designs when they called for your order. A few pages fell and I wanted to save the page you were showing me, but that meant I had to flip back? And I, uh, saw some drawings.”

“Fuck, that’s embarrassing. That’s embarrassing as hell. Uh, sorry for that.”

“It’s not a bad thing! You draw me, uh, really well honestly? I think you draw me better than how I actually look. I just wanna know how long you’ve been drawing me, because I didn’t do any digging to see just how many you drew—”

“Second time we met…”

“ _Oh._ ”

Another breeze hits them, but Johann doesn’t get enough time to complain when Avi stops their walking and exclaims, “Look, Johann, look! There’s the Sea. Look at all the lights. Isn’t it cool?” 

‘Cool’ is quite an understatement for the spectacular light show that the Sea of Gardens holds. Every single fountain and flowerbed is decorated with elaborate lights in the season for Candlenights, and there is some form of illusion magic that makes floating candles swirl in the air within the premises of the large park. The amount of snow and ice that covers the Sea is almost overshadowed by all the dazzling lights.

It’s a gorgeous piece of work that has people walking around in awe, but not enough people for it to be overwhelming. It’s nothing short of beautiful.

“Huh… this looks really nice.”

“I know, right? Come on, let’s go sit down somewhere. You can draw whatever you want there. Maybe I’ll strike a pose so you can draw me again, with permission this time.”

A cloud of water vapour left Johann’s mouth when he huffs in frustration at Avi’s joke. He trudges towards the Sea of Gardens and his dark brown eyes are wide the entire time. They twinkle under the dazzling Candlenights lights, that distinct feeling of awe so apparent in how he stares at the different colours across the gardens. “You know, Phandalin doesn’t have anything that’s nearly this bright. It’s… it’s kind of crazy, haha.”

A warm feeling fell upon Avi that made his whole body buzz when he stared into Johann’s sparkling eyes. “Really? If— if it’s so new, then why did you put off coming here until I said something about it?” he inquires as he lets Johann take him to a nearby bench with a lovely view of a nearby fountain and its flowerbeds.

“Ah, well… I just never had that need to explore this city. I felt that I could always just go exploring in the future, but I have work to do now. And exploring on my own would be just boring, so I didn’t feel that rush to do it, you know?” Johann sets his sketchbook down on his lap when he sits down, “But uh, the thought of seeing such places with you? I think that kind of makes the idea feel a bit better. And like, that’s cheesy as fuck, but that’s the best way I can describe it.”

“Wow, that _was_ really cheesy. I didn’t think you could get even more dramatic than me.”

Immediately Johann shoots a glare at Avi. “Shut up or I’m calling this date off. I won’t hesitate,” he grumbles and opens up his sketchbook. His hands tremble as he grabs a pencil in his pocket to draw. It’s so obvious that it makes Avi cringe just looking at him. “You’re the last person to be talking about cheesy shit, flower boy.”

“You want me to do something equally as cheesy to make up for it? Don’t answer that, I’m going to do it anyway.” After a second of savouring what warmth he had, he unzips his coat and takes it off of his body, leaving him in a sweater that is at least thicker than the one Johann’s currently wearing. “I know I said I wasn’t going to do this, but seeing you shiver like that is pathetic. I want you to enjoy this, and I don’t think you’ll enjoy being cold,” he sighs and wraps it around Johann’s shoulders.

Johann shakes his head and says, “No, man, I said I’m fine. I don’t need this.” That doesn’t work out though, because after a few minutes of the coat just hanging on his shoulder as he tries to draw one of the fountains, he found himself pushing his arms into the coat’s holes. “I don’t… _need_ it, but I appreciate it,” Johann ends up admitting as he gets cozy inside of Avi’s jacket.

“Yeah, okay, sure. ‘Don’t need it’ my ass,” Avi laughs and leans against Johann. He’s tempted to rest his head on Johann’s to watch him draw, but he holds himself back. _Am I taking this too fast? I think he would’ve said something by now if I was._

Avi ends up with his cheek against Johann’s rather than laying on his head. Johann doesn’t complain, so he takes that as a win. 

They sit in the cold for a _long_ while. Long enough that Avi starts getting affected by the cold. His teeth are clenched together and any visible part of his skin has grown a deep pink. He leans closer towards his coat, and therefore Johann, until he’s practically snuggled up against him for warmth. “Are you almost done? It looks done. My fingers are getting cold.”

“You think _your_ fingers are getting cold? I think I’m going to get frostbite or some shit. Also don’t—” Johann groans and wipes away at a small wet spot on his page, “don’t spit while you talk. That’s gross.”

Something cold and wet hits Johann’s sketchbook. Avi notices it and nudges Johann’s arm to point towards the sky, “I don’t do that! It’s snowing again, that’s why. Asshole.” 

That is what finally catches Johann’s attention to tear him away from his sketches. He closes the book and tucks it into Avi’s coat to keep the snow from falling on it. “Wow… it really is snowing, huh,” Johann giggles in what Avi thinks is disbelief. “It’s not a lot, but… the lights make it so cool, don’t they?”

“Yeah. Really cool,” Avi laughs along with Johann. “You know what else is cool? Not dying. Maybe we can go to one of our apartments and warm up? This light show thing should be open for a couple more days, so we have time to prepare and buy you an actual, real fucking coat. I think _that_ would be even cooler.”

“Alright, I get it! You’re cold. I just wanted to stretch it out a little longer, since it’s our first date.”

“It wasn’t _supposed_ to happen like this. I was planning this for tomorrow. I just panicked when you asked if I was asking you out.” Avi stands up from the bench and offers his hand towards Johann. It’s a little bit silly, maybe too chivalrous for the usually casual duo, but Johann takes his hand anyways. Yet they don’t let go even when they’re both standing up and walking back out of the Sea of Gardens. 

Johann still grips the sketchbook tucked within the jacket with his other hand. It threatens to slip from under him, but he doesn’t notice it within the beauty of the snow and Avi’s hand in his. “If you were planning to ask me out already, why did you freak out when I asked? It’s, like, kind of dumb if you ask me.”

“Because _I’m_ dumb, Johann! I thought we’ve established this with the months we’ve been working alongside each other. I just freaked, okay?” Avi swings their hands back and forth as they walk, and he seems a little flushed when asked the question. “It’s really nothing beyond that. Like, I get it, I was kinda d— Hey, watch your step!!”

The warning came a little too late for the both of them. As they headed around the exit of the Gardens and spoke to one another, they failed to notice the patch of ice beneath them. Johann is the first to lose his footing with his Docs. He drops his sketchbook in a terrible attempt to keep straight, but he only continues to slip. With them holding hands, Avi is pulled onto the slippery ice as well until they’re both scrambling on each other to make sure they don’t eat shit. 

When they finally stop slipping and nearly falling, they find themselves in a rather awkward position. No, not the one you might be thinking of. They’re still on their feet, but Johann is leaned way back almost horizontally with his arms just barely locked around Avi’s shoulder to keep him from falling. Avi on the other hand is leaned forward on Johann’s torso, his arms the only thing keeping the latter from falling. It’s uncomfortable as all hell, but better than falling.

“Are you okay?” Avi pants out, nearly out of breath. He notices just how close their faces are. They’re _really_ close, and it would’ve been funny if Johann’s back wasn’t in the most awful position it could’ve been. Yet Avi couldn’t pull away immediately. He felt frozen in place, so close to Johann.

“I’m… fine. Are you gonna kiss me now?”

“Wh— what??”

“Come on, Avi, I don’t have all day. You’re cold, aren’t you?”

“Doesn’t your back hurt?? You— you want me to kiss you? On the first date? Why should I be kissing you right now??” Avi’s voice grows super shaky from the added stress of holding an entire man up in this uncomfortable position and the sheer cold of the wind that blows the acacia flower out of his bun.

Johann’s eyes are as wide and sparkling as they were before and he rests one hand on Avi’s cheek. “I didn’t spend my days slouching on shitty stools to not gain a tolerance for this shit. And come on, you’re practically dipping me into this kiss. If you don’t want to, just stand up and get us off this ice. My sketchbook is gonna get dirty.”

“I— I don’t know! I want to, it’s just— I don’t think— I wanted it to be special, kind of theatrical, not while we’re slipping on ice—”

“Do you have to be so dramatic? Just do it, Avi.”

That’s convincing enough for Avi. It’s a quick peck on the lips and it’s far from the cleanest of kisses, but they don’t have the time or energy to care. Johann holds onto Avi tighter and brings himself closer into the kiss, his back lifting slightly. Neither of them can deny that it feels nice, even if it’s during an incredibly inconvenient moment. It’s just a shaky, cold smash of lips that is broken as soon as Avi whips the two of them into standing.

...But it _was_ a kiss.

They shuffle off of the ice without another word. Avi picks up the sketchbook that had fallen in the midst of that fiasco. “H— here,” he hands the book to Johann. His entire body is shaking and he’s breathing in such cold air that makes his throat scratchy, not to mention how his lips buzzed with a sensation he couldn’t describe. “Are you... alright?”

That’s when Avi notices something on Johann’s face. It’s a foreign sight, one that he has never seen on his face before. For a few solid seconds, Avi wonders if it’s even real, and not a strange illusion from the lights from the candles above them that caused it. One thing that cements its reality is when Johann turns to face him fully, and the sight of it makes Avi no longer cold.

Johann wears the most genuine and _beautiful_ grin on his face. One that shows teeth, one that creases the small tattoos on his cheeks, one that’s been hidden by hands and sleeves and whatever he could possibly find. It’s a smile that makes Avi smile in return, but with no words to possibly say in response to it.

“I’m doing just… great, thank you Avi,” Johann takes the sketchbook and tucks it back into Avi’s jacket. The smile is unchanging, so bright and _perfect_ to Avi, he wishes he could find the words to say something, or anything. “Like, for everything. This was nice. The Candlenights thing. The everything. And like, it’s cheesy, but this made me the happiest I’ve ever been in a while. So, thank you.”

Eventually, Avi gets out of his stunned trance. He takes Johann’s hand in his again, cold skin against cold skin, and he starts to lead them out of the Sea of Gardens. While he walks, he musters enough energy and courage to whisper, “Your smile is really cute, you know?”

When Johann doesn’t respond, Avi chooses to continue, “It's just really nice to look at. I’m not gonna be a creep and say shit like ‘you should smile more’ or whatever, but your smile makes me feel nice. It’s genuine and sweet and… I think I could stare at it for hours.”

“That’s pretty dramatic.”

“Maybe it is. You’re pretty dramatic, too. ‘Are you gonna kiss me now?’” Avi mocks Johann’s low voice and snorts. “The hell was that?”

Johann groans and attempts to hide the side of his face by hiding on Avi’s sweatshirt sleeve, but Avi could still sense that smile. “Oh, shut _up_. Let’s just hurry up so we don’t go numb.”

The Candlenights lights dim behind them as they walk away, but they bring a new light with them. 

**Author's Note:**

> i have a confession. i have NEVER in my life written a florist/tattoo artist au before, but it was fun. 10/10 would scream in embarrassment while writing smth like this again.  
> hope everyone had a pretty sexy candlenights and has a great new years coming up. go drink water now, i know u need to.


End file.
